March 19, 2011

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The 3 minutes guide for character’s traits

by Game designer

You have your first look at your character’s card and you see right in front of your eyes strange series of three letters… Congratulation, you’ve just discovered your character’s traits. What do they represent ? Just take a couple of minutes and read this article to fully understand what is your character potential.

There is eight character’s traits, the minimum value for a human and penhuman is one. The maximum value of a trait for a human is seven and ten for a penhuman. We will describe further the game evolution of the traits, but now we are going to quickly describe each of them.

1 – Strength.

You will find the strength of your character besides the abbreviation STR on his card.

It represents the amount of force you can exert against resistance like holding or restraining an object or person

It also represents the ability to exert maximum muscular contraction instantly in an explosive burst of movements like jumping or a sprint start outside a spacelock.

2 – Endurance

You will find the level of endurance of your character besides the abbreviation END on his card.

It represents the ability for muscle to perform sustained work like rowing or cycling.

It also represent the cardiovascular endurance. Otherwise saying, the heart’s ability to deliver blood to working muscles and their ability to use it like running long distances in a evasion scenario.

Finally it represents the character’s muscle ability to perform a maximum contraction time after time like continuous explosive punching through an close combat situation.

3 – Coordination

You will find the quality of the coordination of your character besides the abbreviation COR on his card.

This represents the ability to integrate the all the traits so that effective movements are achieved.

This trait also represents the balance of your character. The ability to control the body’s position, either stationary in a zero gravity environment for instance or while moving like trying a stunt.

The coordination represents the ability to perform a series of explosive power movements in rapid succession in opposing directions like Zigzag running under heavy enemy fire.

4 – Flexibility

You will find your character is flexible besides the abbreviation FLX on his card.

Generally speaking, it represents the ability to achieve an extended range of motion without being impeded by excess of fat or muscle like executing a leg split, or performing an high kick.

A high score in a flexibility traits considerably reduces the injury risks of physical wound.

5 – Intelligence

You will find a rough indication of your character’s capacity intellectual potential besides the abbreviation INT on his card.

In short, that represents the Intelligence capacities of his mind.

This can be defined by the capacities for abstract thought, understanding, communication, reasoning, learning, planning and problem solving.

For non player character, they are also useful to determine quickly the lethal potential of a non player character : the greater the intelligence the better well organised will be his plan of actions.

6 – Reaction speed

You will find how quick your character can react besides the abbreviation RSP on his card.

This determine the initiative in combat situation, for example the higher the level the higher are your chance of surviving a ambush.

This trait also help to determine how well a character can pilot any vehicle like a shuttle or an antigrav.

7 – Psychic power

You will find your character’s latent psychic powers besides the abbreviation PSY on his card.

It represents the resistance to psychic mental manipulation, and also the global power of own abilities,

It also represents the potential effectiveness of personal stress management like the capacity to endure pain, to cope with stress and adversity, good adaptation when they encounter trauma or threats…

8 – Charism

You will find your character’s natural influence besides the abbreviation CHA on his card.

It represents the global attractiveness or charm of your character that can inspire devotion in others.

Indirectly it also represents his physical beauty, strong score in this trait are very useful to socialise peacefully.

Globally you can defined it as personal influence on other people individually or as a group. The highest Charism always start the game !

Now you know enough about your character’s trait to begin a game. If you have questions about the nature of the character’s traits, just post a comment and I will answer it.